Past the Point of No Return
by TheAngel'sLover
Summary: Past the point of no return, no backward glances,our games of make belive are at an end . . .
1. Reasons

_ Past the point of no return -  
no backward glances:  
our games of make belive  
are at an end . . .  
_

The sound of the clanking metal of his outfit was like the beating of his heart. Hollow, empty, the sound reverberating and dissipating into nothing, emptiness.

The eyes of his mask depicted the eyes that stared out ahead, almost unseen from beneath, blank, emotionless, unfilled, and vacant.

The footsteps echoed the empty corridors as he walked, their sound filling his thoughtless mind as he walked, dignified and self composed down the hallway.

He arrived at his destination, two massive white doors. A guard positioned on either side. Upon his arrival, the guards sprang to life, rushing wordlessly to open the doors, not hindering the horned figure with their queries. When there was enough room for him to pass, he nodded his head and continued through. The material of his cloak fluttered slightly as he quickened his pace, as if he was already late.

The room was bright from the sun that was shining through the tall windows surrounding the area. The man headed to the large desk that sat at the end of the long walkway. Sitting in the chair was a young man, with long back hair and large inquisitive grey eyes who seemed to be in the middle of a conversation with someone, but from the distance from which the man was he could not tell who the youth was talking too.

As he neared the desk the clanking of his amour caught their attention, making them stop their previous banter and look to him. When the second person tuned around, the man's heart almost stopped. For there, standing right in front of his eyes was the queen. And not just any queen, but the queen whom with he had toiled alongside to regain her rightful throne, the queen whom he had watch grow from a small girl to a beautiful strong mature woman, the queen whom he had sworn to protect, his queen

"Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca" the name came half whispered and half surprised. He quickly bowed, cursing himself for forgetting to do so when he had stood there like a bumbling idiot.

"Rise, Judge" she said her voice laced with amusement

"There will be no need for such formalities Basch, we know who you are" she finished

The metal clad man rose.

"Forgive me your highness," he muttered even more embarrassed she had addressed him by his name.

The two stood facing each other not saying a word

The young man who had been watching the scene to his greater enjoyment rose

"I believe I have some business to attend too, please feel free to attend to yours without me"

"No, no" Both Asheila and Basch said in unison, giving each other quizzical looks after realizing they had done so.

"I shall accompany you, Emperor Larsa," Basch said quickly breaking the tension

"No need," Larsa said as he walked away, a smug smile plastered to his face as soon as his back was to them. Leaving both standing and staring after him.

After the doors closed the two stood observing one another.

"It's been a while Basch," Asheila finally said

"Indeed it has your majesty"

"How many times must I remind you, to call me Ashe?" she said with a hint of exasperation.

"Forgive me"

She approached him, and circled him like a shark does its prey. He hoped she could not hear the now ever present beating of his heart. Which to him, sounded like the drums you hear during the festivals, loud, pure, and strongly delivered upon the eardrums of one with sensitive hearing.

"Remove your helmet," she ordered

'Pardon?"

"Remove you helmet, I would like to see that there is still a man under there" she smiled.

He complied. Reveling a set of crystalline blue eyes, short blond hair, and a scar that ran mid- forehead to his left eyebrow.

"That's much better" her smile was still in place.

"May I inquire as to the reason of your sudden appearance your hig…. Err Ashe?" Her name rolled clumsily slurred off his tongue as he attempted to correct himself in mid question.

"I came to visit an old friend, who condescended not to show at my coronation, but I am having trouble locating him, do you know where I might find him?"

Basch hung his head, turning away ashamed, for she spoke of him.

"The Emperor neede…"

"You have no need to for excuses and useless apologies"

He closed his eyes tightly when he felt something on his shoulder, turning his head he found a slender hand resting on there. She pulled lightly, trying to make him face her. He obeyed reluctantly, but kept his eyes looking toward the ground.

"Basch….."

His eyes came up at the sound of his name, issuing from her lips. They were spoken with such understanding and concern. He could see what she was thinking for it was written plainly in her eyes. He now realized why she had come.

"You hold the past and your actions to close to your heart. I've forgiven you, now you need to learn to forgive yourself and let go."

She took a hand and cupped his cheek with it. Her fingers were soft and warm, comforting and loving. Their eyes met. When he caught his mind wandering and found his face coming into closer contact with hers he jerked away.

"Ashe I….."

"I know", she sighed, her voice sounded so heartbroken he wanted to rewind that past minute or find a wall his head could collide with.

"It is improper. I've heard it before, it is all I ever hear, it is all I have ever heard." She sighed once again and walked to a window leaving Basch standing they're holding his helmet, feeling completely impudent and heartless.

"Ashe….."

He started to advance to her turned back, thought the better of it, re-donned his helmet and walked out if the room, cursing himself silently as the doors closed behind him.

Meanwhile as the doors came together with a resounding thud, Ashe bit her bottom lip, closing her eyes. Allowing a tear passage down her cheek.


	2. A Visitor In The Night

_ Past all thought of "if" or "when" -  
no use resisting:  
abandon thought,  
and let the dream descend . . .  
_

The night that followed the awkward encounter earlier that day was cool with a slight breeze. No cloud dared come out to block the beams of the moon as it shone mercilessly bright, almost as if it was trying to confuse the unsuspecting mortals below into wondering whether was night or day.

For the man pacing on the balcony of his room it mattered nothing. He could not sleep due to the troubles that plagued him, the thoughts that suffocated him, which, combined with the sheer lack of any form of relaxation made him all the more alert.

Finally ceasing his pacing he sank into a chair and put his blond haired head into his callused square hands. His scars, illuminated in the moonlight as a reminder of who and what is was.

Despite the chilly night he was shirtless, his chiseled abdominal muscles glowed with a light layer of sweat accumulated from his constant movement. As he sat there deep in contemplation there was a small knock at his door. His head shot up as he drew himself away from his thoughts. He listened intently, upon hearing a more forceful knock he rose, walking briskly to the door. Upon opening it he found Ashe wearing a long, shimmering, sliver robe, her hand raised in the process of a third knock. She instantly dropped her hand and clasped it with the other, looking down like a small child does before chastisement.

"I came to talk" she said softly

Was this Ashe? The Ashe he knew was forthright and spoke her mind, she didn't turn into a child in the mere presence of a man. But there she was, standing there looking down at the ground. Before he could make any more inferences he found she had slipped past him into his room. She now stood behind him, looking at him expectantly.

"_She hasn't changed that much then…"_ Despite himself, he smiled lightly, before wiping it away as quickly as it had appeared.

"Ashe…" He noticed she was staring, impressed, at his shirtless top half, her arms crossed, a smug expression written on her face.

"I see there is no more need for decency," she sated, raising an eyebrow as she caught the small tinge of red creep up he cheeks.

"Please turn away, while I find…."

"There is no need."

"But your highness"

"If you even dare as to say it is improper I swear I will do something you would rather not have me do"

Before he could stop himself, his mouth moved faster than his brain

"But it is improper your highness"

Nothing could've prepared Basch for what happened next

Ashe walked up to him, grabbed the sides of his face with both hands and pulled him into a fierce lip-crushing kiss.

Basch's senses were sent reeling. Before he could make a decision it was over. He saw Ashe's triumphant smirk set firmly in place, while she backed away to give him a more comfortable circumference of motion. Resisting the urge to somehow get if off of her face he just stared at her like a lost chocobo.

"How was that for improper" she hissed seductively.

Every intuition inside of him, all of his training, his entire upbringing, was telling him to throw her out, get her out of his sight. She had just stepped over the line. She had past the point of no return. If he followed there was no going back.

"_Ashe, I love you, I always have, but I just…. we just… this can't" _

All those pent up emotions, all those years of rejection and solitude finally caught up with him. He found himself advancing toward her. Her smile was gone now, replaced by fear and apprehension. She backed away afraid he was angered by her rash, mindless actions, but a hand caught her around her mid-section and pulled her in. She found her face in dangerously close proximity with a bare chest. Looking up expecting to see an outraged expression, she found a smile. Eye's filled with a passion that had never been there before, a new emotion revealed. Love.


	3. Past The Point of No Return

_What raging fire shall flood the soul?_

_What rich desire unlocks its door?_

_What sweet seduction lies before us . . .?_

_Past the point of no return,_

_the final threshold, what warm,_

_unspoken secrets will we learn?_

_Beyond the point_

_of no return . . ._

Ashe felt the familiar sensation of blood rushing to her cheeks as she gazed into the eyes of the man whom she had loved, long before her short marriage of conveyance. Even when she had branded him a traitor she still loved him, despite herself.

Now, here she stood. Taking in every feature of his face, reading every emotion that went through his eyes. She had never noticed those eyes before. They too were scarred, but in a different context. His eyes displayed all the emotional battles he had fought with himself, echoing his every feeling. He did not need his voice to communicate; all he needed was his eyes.

Basch heard her let out a small, almost inaudible gasp as she felt his other hand slide up her back, resting itself behind her neck, her hair becoming intertwined between his fingers. With one hand still wrapped around her waist, the other cradling the back of her neck, he pulled her in slowly, still keeping their gazes locked, before brushing his lips against hers.

Their lips met gently at first, as if testing each other. When he felt no tension on her behalf he deepened the kiss, resulting in a small moan from Ashe. Pulling apart and letting her go, he stepped back. His mind trying to connect to the rest of him, the enormity of what had just transpired.

Once again silence filled the room, but the tension between them was not that of awkwardness, but of need, of love, of lust. Both staring at one another from where they stood. A new light in their eyes. Finally, not being able to bear either the silence or the distance between them, they rushed into each other's arms so forcefully that Basch took a small misstep back, finding himself landing on his back on to the bed behind him, Ashe lying on top of him, her hair falling forward to frame her face. Their now heavy breath along with their loudly beating hearts drowned out the screams of their intuitions.

_ Past the point of no return  
no going back now:  
our passion-play has now, at last,  
begun . . . _

She dipped her head, once again reuniting their lips in burning passion. Nothing mattered now, not status, not rank, not even the rules and the traditions that had kept them apart.

_ Past all thought of right or wrong -  
one final question:  
how long should we two wait, before  
we're one . . .? _

When she reluctantly broke the kiss to let him move to a more comfortable position, Basch noticed the robe Ashe was wearing was slipping down, she was, as if almost out of either courtesy or convenience, wearing nothing beneath it. Catching his wandering eyes she smiled and straddled him, grasping his sides with her strong, slim legs. Sitting up she reached for the knot of her robe, a small teasing smile painted on her lips, while her eyes scanned Basch for any reaction. Right before her hand touched the knot, Basch had taken her hand and pulled her back on top of him. Thinking he was going to kiss her she readily complied, but soon discovered that in a matter of seconds she was on _her _back, Basch now in control.

"Hmph," she pouted, only receiving a small, somewhat bashful smile.

_ When will the blood begin to race  
the sleeping bud burst into bloom?  
When will the flames, at last, consume  
us . . .?_

Their lips were once again glued together. As a hand ran up Ashe's leg, passing her thigh, then coming up to the knot if her robe. She felt a small gust of air as the robe fell open. This time it was he who broke the kiss, letting her slip out of it completely. There was silence as he gazed at her. As if his eyes could no longer bear it he leaned up, turning away, to sit at the edge of the bed, he knew if he continued there was no returning.

Meanwhile Ashe watched him close his eyes and turn around. She sat up, still naked, crawling up behind him, she sat on her knees and flung her arms over his shoulders to clasp her hands in front of his chest, burying her head in the crook of his neck.

"Basch…" she whispered, he could feel her breath upon his neck, making the hairs rise in response, while he uttered a sigh.

"I- I…" She couldn't seem to finish. Basch felt something warm and wet, land on his shoulder, another followed. He brought his head up when he realized they were her tears. His heart shattered. Her arms fell away like lead weights when he turned once again to face her. Cupping her wet cheeks in his hands, he wiped away the newly shed tears away with his thumbs. Pulling her face up lightly to get her to look at him.

"I know," he said huskily. Her expression at first was confused, then surprised, and finally realization slowly spread across her features.

Pulling her close, he wrapped her protectively in his arms.

"I love you as well…" kissing the top of her head,

"Ashe" he finished.

She wriggled away to look at him, to see if he meant it. When she saw no lie in his eyes, she wrenched him toward her, kissing him with such force she could've sworn his teeth hit hers, but it didn't matter. He loved her, that was all she needed to hear. Soon her tears were mixing with their sweat as they were whisked away by the throes of passion.

___ Past the point of no return  
the final threshold, the bridge  
is crossed, so stand and watch it burn . . ._

That night they took the plunge and passed the point, and it had never been so beautiful.

___ We've passed the point of no return . . . _

* * *

I hope You enjoyed! 

This was my first real attempt at a romance. I tried not to make it a complete song fic, but the words fit so well...

Please** read and review**! I'd love to hear your opinions, etc!

The Angel's Lover


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